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HISTORY of JAMESTOWN RHODE ISLAND
Gc 974.502 123w
Gc 974.502 J23W 1127839
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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47
19
19
25
19
Shore Road
19
57
13
North Road
37
37
3
51
LEGEND
1 Artillery Garden
#Arnold, Benedict, House 2
3 Baptist Church
4 Battey House
5 Bay View Hotel
30 Friend's Meeting House, Present
50 Road that w
31 Greene, John, House
34 Sea Side Cc
7 Beaver Tail Lighthouse
32 Hazard House
31 Shoreby Hil
8 Cajacet
33 Highest Point on the Island
51 Jamestown
34 Hopkins, Oliver, House
52 *South Schor
35 Horsehead
53 Southwest A
11 Carr Homestead
12 *Carr, Nicholas, House
13 Carr, Samuel, House
32 Tefft House
14 Carr School
39 Jamestown Philomenian Library
55 *Town Hall, ‘
15 *Carr, Thomas, House
56 Town Hall, I
16 Catholic Church
57 *Watson, Jol
42 *Moveable Chapel, 1st Stop
58 *Weeden Ho
43 *Mowry, Joseph, House
59 West Ferry
44 North Ferry Landing
35 Wharton, J.
46 North School House
60 Windmill
29 Old Cemetery
61 Wharf,
8 Paine, Capt. Thomas, House
Providence
47 Point View Hotel
Denotes loc
48 *Primary School
Original Ro
29 #Quaker Meeting House, First -- New Roads
24 Episcopal Church
26 *Fort Dumpling
27 Fort Getty
28 Fox Hill
30
Quaker Me
29 *Friend's Meeting House, First
49 Revolutiona
6 Bay Voyage Hotel
9 *Camp Mead
10 Carr, Gov. Caleb, Burial Lot
36 Howland's Wharf
54 *Slocomb, Et
37 Hull's Swamp
42 Stork's Hill
38 Jamestown Bridge
17 Central Baptist Church
18 Clarke School
19 Conanicut Park
25 *Conanicut Park Hotel
20 Cottrell House
21 Dumplings
22 East Ferry Landing
23 *Eldred, Capt., John, House
40 Knight, Richard D., House
41 Knowles House
34 8
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M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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MAP FOR LOCATIONS
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34 8
47
25
19
19
Shore Road
19
57
36
23
POTTER'S COVE
42
6
26
Road
13
Show
21
North Road
31
58
12
5
21
37
16
43
24
51
North
18
39
56
29
21
14
51
32
5
LEGEND
1 Artillery Garden
26 *Fort Dumpling
2 "Arnold, Benedict, House 3 Baptist Church
28 Fox Hill
30 Quaker Meeting House, Present
2
4 Battey House
29 #Friend's Meeting House, First
49 Revolutionory Fort
5 Bay View Hotel
30 Friend's Meeting House, Present
50 Road that was closed
6 Bay Voyage Hotel
31 Greene, John, House
34 Sea Side Camp, Y.W.C.A.
7 Beaver Tail Lighthouse
32 Hazard House
31 Shoreby Hill
20
41
.HULL'S.COVE.
52 #South School
10 Carr, Gov. Caleb, Burial Lot
53 Southwest Avenue
11 Carr Homestead
36 Howland's Wharf
54 *Slocomb, Ebenezer, House
12 *Carr, Nicholas, House
42 Stork's Hill
13 Carr, Samuel, House
32 Tefft House
14 Carr School
55 *Town Hall, Old
15 "Carr, Thomas, House
56
Town Hall, Present
16
Catholic Church
57
*Watson, Job, House
17 Central Baptist Church
58
*Weeden House
18 Clarke School
43 "Mowry, Joseph, House
59 West Ferry Landing
19
Conanicut Park
44 North Ferry Landing
35 Wharton, Joseph, House
5 "Conanicut Park Hotel
60 Windmill
20 Cottrell House
61 Wharf,
21 Dumplings
8 Paine, Capt. Thomas, House
Providence & Newport S.S. Ca.
22 East Ferry Landing
47 Point View Hotel
23 "Eldred, Capt., John, House
48 Primary School
29 #Quaker Meeting House, First
-- New Roads
I DE AVER YAIL P3
24 Episcopal Church
Wager Weeden Lane
Ferry Road
48 53
54
MACKEREL . COVE
44
THEFFIELD
38
8 Cajacet #Camp Mead
33 Highest Point on the Island Hopkins, Oliver, House 34 Horsehead 35
37 Hull's Swamp
27
49
38 Jamestown Bridge
39 Jamestown Philomenian Library
40 Knight, Richard D., House
41 Knowles House
42 *Moveable Chapel, 1st Stop
51 Jamestown Shores Development
Road
17
9
60
30
15
51
North Ferry Road
10
37
46
37
33
3 4
55
Carr Lone
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JAMESTOWN, R. I.
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46 29 North School House Old Cemetery
* Denotes location only = Original Roads
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27 Fort Getty
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7.50
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00084 6722
HISTORY of
JAMESTOWN on CONANICUT ISLAND in the
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
by W. L. WATSON
Copyright 1949 by W. L. WATSON
Printed by JOHN F. GREENE CO., INC. Providence, R. I.
-
1127839
To Mother
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/historyofjamesto00wats
Preface
IN PRESENTING this History of Jamestown, I do so with a full realization that no history is ever finished. But Jamestown, so rich in the historical events of our country, so typical of the lives of our forefathers, so full of human interest, certainly should have its historical events preserved while material and memories still are available.
The chapter on "Old Houses" was not included in the early consideration of the book. But as the writing progressed it became increasingly evident that they also were historical and should be mentioned. Houses that I know of, some standing, others only a memory, have been omitted only because of lack of material. So let it be that this chapter is but a challenge to someone else to search the old records, read old deeds and wills, dig deeper into old trunks and boxes in the attics and gather material for a book, "Old Houses of Jamestown".
I particularly wish to acknowledge my great indebtedness to Miss Lena Clarke and her sisters Clara and Jennie who spent many laborious hours in copying the old records, all of which was most graciously made available to me. I am indebted to the Rhode Island Historical Society for the loan of many of the cuts of old prints and buildings and to Mr. William G. Roelker, the Director, for his cooperation and assistance. I am also indebted to the Harvard University Press for permission to use transcripts from the Diary of Frederick Mackenzie relating to Jamestown.
I also wish to express my thanks and deep appreciation to the many others who have so kindly given of their time and assistance.
WALTER LEON WATSON
CONTENTS
PREFACE
HISTORY OF JAMESTOWN
Page
Geology of Narragansett Bay
1
Indians
2
Settlements at Portsmouth and Newport
5
Purchase of Conanicut Island
6
Survey of the Island by Joshua Fisher
11
First Town Meeting
14
Highways
15
Licenses
18
Indentures
19
Slaves
23
Capt. Wallace and Revenue Ships
24
Burning of Jamestown .
29
Invasion of Newport and Jamestown
32
d'Estaing and the French Fleet
36
Battle of Rhode Island .
37
General Washington crosses Jamestown
39
Civil War
41
Jamestown Developes a Summer Colony GROWTH OF JAMESTOWN
Jamestown Ferries
47
Beaver Tail Watch House and Lighthouse
60
The Windmill
65
Dutch Island
69
Jamestown Schools
69
Jamestown Philomenian Library
72
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES
Society of Friends
73
Church of England-Dr. MacSparran
77
Baptist Society .
78
Episcopal Church
80
Catholic Church
83
OLD HOUSES AND FARMS
Samuel Carr House
85
Greene Farm House
87
Ebenezer Słocomb House
88
Benedict Arnold House
88
Knowles House
89
Cottrell House
89
Carr Homestead
90
Nicholas Carr House
93
Capt. John Eldred House
95
The Battey House
96
John A. Carr Farm .
96
Thomas Hazard House
98
The Weeden House
98
Oliver Hopkins House
99
Thomas Paine House
99
Job Watson House
102
Joseph Mowry House
103
BIBLIOGRAPHY
106
ILLUSTRATIONS
107
INDEX
108
.
42
History of Jamestown on Conanicut Island in the State of Rhode Island
T HE Town of Jamestown is on the Island of Conanicut. The island is nine miles long and an average of one mile wide, having an area of 91/2 square miles. It is at the entrance to Narragansett Bay and separates it into the East and West passage. The northern end of the island is surrounded by the peaceful waters of the bay, while the southern end protrudes into the more turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Standing on the highest spot of the island, just west of the junction of Carr's Lane and the Old Road, you have a full view of the waters surrounding the island and the land beyond. It is a scene of peaceful beauty. You see pleasure boats, large and small, dot- ting the water, sailboats and yachts scudding before the breeze, freighters com- ing into port or heading out to sea and vessels of the North Atlantic Squadron riding at their moorings. You accept it for what it is-one of the most beau- tiful bays in all the world.
But not so with your friend the geologist. standing next to you. He may gaze on the same scene of beauty but recalls his work on the U. S. Geodetic Survey and their report "The Geology of the Narragansett Basin". In his mental vision, his mind's eye, as it were, he sees a panorama which begins 50 to 100 million years ago, when the earth's surface was hardening. Terrific pressures from within would force the surface of the earth up in places causing a folding or sinking in other places, and if it sank low enough waters of the ocean would overflow the sunken area. Sediment gathered from the shores and inflowing waters would gradually sink to the bottom and, in a few thousand years or so, form strata of rock. These periods of upheaval followed by ages of quiet were repeated time and time again, forming strata upon strata of rock. And so today the geologist, by scientific analysis of the various rock strata, can tell what period, the Azoic, Proterozoic, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, Cainozoic (covering a period of from 40 to 800 million years ago) the particular rock stratum was formed and approximately what the surface of earth at that particular place was like at that time.
Knowing all that in infinitely greater detail, our geologist would see that at one time what is now Conanicut was an island about 4 miles wide (east to west) extending from the west shore of Mackerel Cove to Newport Neck and north to include all the islands of the lower bay. At another time he would see Block Island connected with the mainland on the east and west and Narragansett Bay a fresh water lake extending from Providence to
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Block Island. With every upheaval came many changes in the earth's surface, but Narragansett Bay remained a fresh water lake for many thousands of years.
In the latter part of the last gcological period, the Cainozoic, came the glaciers or Ice Age. Great masses of ice crept down from the north, an inch or so a year, until the entire northern part of the globe was covered; in the cast, down to Japan, in Russia to the Steppes, England to the River Thames and in Connecticut and Rhode Island to about our present coast line. In a period of 500,000 years four of these glaciers came crunching down from the north. The last of these ground away the rock strata that connected Block Island to the main land and Narragansett Bay, which for thousands of years had been a fresh water lake, was opened to the Atlantic Ocean and became a salt water bay. As the glacier gradually melted it deposited the rocks, stones and earth that it had gathered up and Conanicut emerged about as it is today. While this glacier occurred some 50,000 years ago, some geolo- gists say that we are still in it's declining years. H. G. Wells, in his "Outline of History" says "Half a million years hence this may be a much sunnier and pleasanter world to live in than it is today."
As the glacier gradually receded and disappeared under the influence of the increasing temperate climate, vegetation started and in the course of time, the island was covered with a virgin forest.
For many thousands of years there was no human life on this continent. It probably was during the interglacial period between the third and last glaciers that parts of the tribes of central Asia, wandering far in the constant search of food, crossed over the strip of land which then connected Siberia with Alaska. Then the last glacier, slowly but surely descended from the north and drove them before it to the south. The last glacier occurred 35 to 50 thousand years ago. In those intervening years these barbaric groups developed into the American Indian. They developed no particular agri- culture, lived almost entirely by hunting, roamed the country in small groups and never established a settlement of permanent homes. They left no hiero- glyphic writings, evidently had no contact with any other civilization, and their development is very obscure. Yet, when the white man came to these shores, he found the Narragansett Indians a coherent tribe of some 20,000 members with definite places of habitation. In summer they would be in the open places, of which Jamestown was one, where they could raise their crops of corn and beans, and in winter they sought the protection of the forest. They had a system of money called Wampum. There were two kinds, being small discs about an inch in diameter, the white, called peag, made from periwinkle shells and the blue from the blue or purplish spot in the shell of the quahaug. The white shell became worth six to an English penny and the blue 3 to the penny. They also had developed a form of speech which was peculiar to itself, having nothing in common with the development of any other language except, possibly, the Chinese. Roger Williams wrote a dic- tionary or, as he called it, "A Key into the Language of America".
2
So the first white man found America inhabited by a dark skinned race with a culture several thousand years behind that of the white races of Europe.
There is considerable doubt as to who was the first white man to see or set foot on Conanicut. Extensive research and excavations are now being made at the Old Stone Mill at Newport to determine, if possible, its origin. Was it built about the year 1000 by the Norsemen or did Governor Arnold build it in 1670? There is no answer as yet.
The first written evidence is in a letter generally accepted as having been written by Giovanni Verrazano to Francis I, King of France, dated July 8, 1524. Following is his description of what is generally considered to be Narragansett Bay :
"We proceeded to another place - where we found an excellent harbor. Before entering it, we saw about twenty small boats full of people, who came about our ship, uttering many cries of astonishment, but they would not approach nearer than fifty paces -. We often went five or six leagues into the interior and found the country as pleasant as is possible to conceive, adapted to cultivation of every kind, whether of corn wine or oil; there are open plains twenty-five or thirty leagues in ex- tent, entirely free from trees or other hindrances, and of so great fertility that whatever is sown there will yield an excellent crop. On entering the woods, we observed that they might be traversed by an army ever so numerous; the trees of which they were composed were oaks, cypresses, and others unknown to Europe. We found also apples, plums, filberts, and many other fruits; but all of a different kind from ours. The animals, which are in great numbers as stags, deer, lynxes, and many other species, are taken by snares, and by bows, the latter being their chief instrument; their arrows are wrought with great beauty, and for the heads of them they use emery, jasper, hard marble, and other hard stone, in the place of iron. They also use the same kind of sharp stones in cutting down trees, and with them they construct their boats of single logs, hollowed out with admirable skill, and sufficiently commodious to contain ten or twelve persons ;-. This region is situated in the parrallel of Rome being 41° 40' of north latitude.
It looks towards the south, on which side the harbor is half a league broad; afterwards upon entering it, the extent between the coast and north is twelve leagues, and then enlarging itself it forms a very large bay twenty leagues in circumference, in which are five small islands, of great fertility and beauty, covered with large and lofty trees. Among these islands any fleet, however large, might ride safely. Turning towards the south, at the entrance of the harbor, on both sides, there are very pleasant hills, and many streams of clear water, which flow down to the sea. In the midst of the entrance, there is a rock of freestone, formed by nature, and suitable for the construction of any kind of machine or bulwark for the defense of the harbor."
However there are those who believe this letter was actually written by Estevan Gomez, a Portuguese corsair, and Mr. Buckingham Smith in 1864, read a paper before the New York Historical Society setting forth that the letter in no part can have any possible reference to Narragansett Bay. Truly the dim past is still shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.
The Indians came from those nomadic tribes of central Asia whose wanderings in the constant search of food finally brought them to America. Their urge was the sustenance of life-nothing more. Then about the year 1000 came the Norsemen, whose urge was the spirit of adventure and explora-
3
tion. In 1492 came Columbus, whose urge was the firm conviction that he could reach fabulous India by sailing west and he, in turn, opened the way for such adventurers as Cortez and Pizarro, whose urge was the lust for gold and conquest. But all through Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries there was developing an urge that was not to be denied-the urge for freedom of thought and action. This development of conscience and consuming desire for freedom in political and particularly in religious matters was changing the political and religious structures of Europe. As this was the urge that finally forced the Pilgrims to leave their native land it would seem that the actual history of Jamestown, or almost any old New England town, began in the 14th and 15th centuries, in those widely separated movements which, with the great aid of the invention of printing, led to the Reformation of the 16th century.
While the Reformation was essentially a religious and moral movement, of necessity it developed in the individual the feeling of responsibility and independence of thought. The courage and determination of the Pilgrims to leave home and friends and seek a new life in an unknown country was not born over night. It was, instead, the culmination of many years of struggle, privation and persecution, but always with an ever increasing elevation of the soul, clarification of the mind and the development of conscience.
From the beginning of the Reformation, about 1515, down to 1607, when that little band at Scrooby, exiled by the English government, crossed to Holland and settled in Leyden, this idea of freedom in religious thought had spread in all the governments of the old world. But the little colony in Leyden became convinced they could never attain their ideals amid the surroundings of Europe, and we have that epoch-making voyage of the Mayflower in 1620. The reasons for this voyage, and the strength of character it took to make it, should be the first consideration in any history of carly New England.
The first voyage having been successfully made, others soon followed and by 1644, thirty-four thousand people had settled in New England. The Bay Colony, developed more along commercial lines, soon attained the greater prominence. The government was started as a democracy, the gover- nor and his assistants being chosen by the freemen. But in 1631, it was decreed that none but members of the church could be freemen. The govern- ment thus became a pure theocracy, controlled, unfortunately, by a few narrow minded, superstitious, religious bigots. Into these surroundings came Roger Williams in 1631. He was soon (1635) banished from the colony because of his religious views. Mrs. Ann Hutchinson also preached a gospel that offended the church government. She, too, was banished "out of our jurisdiction as a woman not fit for our society." Before and during her trial many of her followers and others in sympathy with her, had been warned to leave the colony or they would be summoned before the court "to answer such things as shall be objected." Realizing what all this was going to mean to those not in full sympathy with the theocratic government, Dr. John Clarke, William Coddington and their many sympathetic friends decided to form a
4
colony of their own and chartered a sailing vessel to take them to the shores of Long Island or possibly Delaware Bay.
While the vessel was rounding Cape Cod a few of them went overland to Providence to confer with Roger Williams. Being in full sympathy with them and desiring such people as neighbors, he suggested they purchase the Island of Acquidneck from the Indians. (It will be recalled that one of the many points of disagreement between Williams and the Boston authorities was his contention that the king had no right to the land in America, as it belonged to the Indians.) His suggestion met with the approval of the company and after several meetings with the Indian Chiefs Connonicus and Miantanomu, who were very friendly with Roger Williams, a compact of government was drawn up on the 7th day of the first month (March), 1637, and on the 24th day of the same month the deed was drawn up at Roger Williams' trading post at Cocumscussoc and signed by Canonicus and Mianta- nomu, Chief Sachems of the Narragansett Indians, whereby title to "the great island of Acquidneck lyinge from hence Eastward in this Bay, as also the marsh or grasse upon Quinunicutt and the rest of the islands in the Bay (excepting Prudence)", passed from the Narragansett Indians to "Mr. Coddington and his friends under him." Here we have the first mention of Conanicut in any official record.
The settlement was established at Pocasset (now Portsmouth), and in the first year it has been estimated that over one hundred families joined the new colony, among whom were Ann Hutchinson, who had been banished from the Bay Colony at Boston, and many of her followers. Considerable dissension soon arose between the Hutchinson group and Dr. John Clarke, William Coddington and their followers, on both political and religious matters and on the 28th of the 2d month (April) 1639, the more substantial members, under the leadership of Dr. John Clarke and William Coddington, moved to the southern part of the island and established themselves at what is now Newport.
In the records of the first town meeting at Newport we find the following entry :
"It is agreed and ordered, that the Plantation now begun at this Southwest end of the island, shall be called Newport: and that all the landes lying Northward and Eastward from the said Towne towards Pocasset, for the space of five miles, so across from sea to sea with all ye landes Southward and Westward, bounded with the main sea, together with the small Islands and the grass of Cunnunnegott, is appointed for the accommodation of ye said Towne."
Here we have the second mention of Conanicut, but this time with a special reference which has a major bearing on the history of the island.
(It should be noted that in the purchase of the Island of Acquidneck the deed gave the right only to the "marsh or grasse on Quinunicutt" - the island itself still belonged to the Indians.)
In picturing conditions with which the settlers of practically every town in New England had to contend, it must be remembered that all the country
5
was a virgin forest. It was even so at Newport. But for many years the Narra- gansett Indians had used Conanicut for a summer camping ground and here, after first having cleared the ground, they raised their crops of corn and beans. Their method of clearing was to set fire to the forest when con- ditions were favorable and let it burn. As a result large areas were cleared and had grown up to "grasse." This was a most valuable crop for settlers at Newport who, as yet, had very limited pasture for their cattle. Hence the "grasse of Cunnunnegott" was especially set apart "for the acommodation of ye said Towne."
But trouble arose over this same "grasse" and in the Land Evidence Book, No. 1, page 6 we find the following entry dated March 10, 1656.
"For as much as it is frequently declared that of late there have been endeavors used by some who are neither inhabitants of this Island or members of this Colony, to get into their possession and power of disposal the above Island Quononaqutt. And considering how commodiously ye said Island lieth for the enlarging the acom- odations of some of us, in regard to ye nearness of it to our dwellings as also considering the great straight that many of us are in, for want of commonage for cattle, Therefore and for the preventing any forreigners getting into their possession whereby incon- venience and disturbance might possibly, yea and probably arise to ye government of this Colony.
"We whose names are hereto subscribed do as above said for ourselves or heirs etc. agree as followeth: Viz.
"First, That for the procuring the aforesaid Island Quononaqutt for ye occasions aforesaid we do hereby authorize and appoint seven of our number (namely) William Coddington Esq. Benedict Arnold, Sen. William Brenton or in his absence William Baulston in his stead, also Richard Smith of Narragansett, also Capt. John Cranston, Caleb Carr and John Sanford to use the best of their endeavors to make a full and firm purchase of the aforesaid Island Quononaqutt for and to themselves & for the rest of us who are in this present writing hereafter in order mentioned and also here unto to subscribe, and to the end premised the persons aforenamed are hereby fully and absolutely impowered and authorized, ..... to meet .... and agree upon any direction .... about getting the assurance from any Sachem and of the Indians . . concerning said Island Quononaqutt, as also for the Island called Dutch Island to the intent Above said."
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